Budge_Ethiopic_Alexander

566 THE HISTORY OF ALEXANDER THE GREAT.
"days, and after a while I became exhausted and
"fell down on the road. And I lifted up my eyes
"to heaven and I said, 'Fulfil for me, Thy servant,
"that which I have asked of Thee;' and God
"Almighty sent unto me a huge lion. And when
"the lion drew nigh unto me I was afraid of
"him, and an angel came down from heaven and
"said unto me, 'Fear not, O Gerasimas, for God
"Almighty hath sent him unto thee to bear thee
"along.' Then I sat myself upon his back, and I
"arrived at the shore of a sea."
The narra- Theu the peoplc spake unto Gerasimas, savine,
tiveofGeri-
'JO'
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simas. " vVho brought thee over to us.''" And he answered
and said unto them, "Two trees that were in the
"sea carried me over and brought me unto you
"by the Will of God Almighty." And they an-
swered and said unto him, "God Almighty will
"never bring any other man over to us after
"thyself O saint of God Almighty, according as
"thou didst seek and according to thy longing
"even so hast thou found, for thou hast arrived
"in our country." And they answered and said
unto him, "Tell us the history of thy country and
"of the beheving kings." And he spake unto
them, saying, "Hearken, O blessed saints. When
"the Apostles had preached the Gospel of true
Spread of "faith lu all the earth, churches, and archbishops,
Christianity.
.
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"and bishops, and priests, and deacons, and subdea-
"cons, and readers, and psalmists, and monks, and be-
"lieving virgins, and women devoted to the ascetic life
"came into being, and some of these became solitary